The service corridor connected to a stairwell that led up to the floor which Joseph had established early on as Stonewater operations. Not so officially, because even before the conclave Kyrie was...
Off. Because Citra had went and run away on her. The first ti I saw her look at I didn’t understand it, but I do now.
She wanted to choke and ask what I might know about that.
In a docunt signed beforehand, we and the Cloudtail were [guests of the Ricoat Alpha during the potential ergency period]. Which was diplomatic language for [hostages of circumstance with good manners].
Joseph hadn’t called it that. He wouldn’t. But I did. In one of my early texts to Mille, when I was trying to convince her to make the journey across the country after the Ricoat revealed just a portion of the plan to us.
I knew sothing bad was going to go down in my heart. But she... she was still unwilling to do anything but read my ssages. Still had my voice calls blocked.
"She’s okay. Strong. Just as much werewolf as you are, she’ll be fine."
"Talking to yourself again, Ellie? You should get sothing to eat."
"I’m fine."
My hand waves off our Beta as I breathed harder than I should after making it up the flight of stairs. He’s right, I’m likely not eating enough for everything I’m doing.
The ration system is... fair. I’d checked over it carefully and argued a few points directly with Claire and that Lodestone computer thing. Singularity event waiting to happen, if you ask .
But fair portions ans adequate to survive in place like the humans, not generous enough to handle all this work. Not when I won’t go spend my extra credits so far on *myself*.
Mille would also tell to eat more, but would physically put so food in front of while doing it. Sit on her lap and refuse to let leave until I finished it.
And then hold my hand tight for another fifteen minutes. Calling it a tax for being difficult, but really just taking to walk around. To digest better. Health freak.
We could have just cuddled and watched a show instead.
Not now. Lant later. Focus first.
"Hey, he’s in the back, right?"
"Yeah. We’re scheduled to et with Mrs. Voss soon, so make it quick. Then go take a break."
The words ’take a break’ hurt. Because I know I need it... I know I can’t... and because that’s what Mille fucking said, just because I bought another stupid sexy Tyria Fomalhaut dakimakura!
I shouldered through the steel comrcial door and into what served as the Stonewater’s current common area. A handful of our mbers were scattered around talking. So with spirits, so just Ogas.
All of them conversing with mbers of the rogue population that had started gravitating to us. Maria was even teaching a pair of teenagers I don’t recognize a card ga in the corner.
Old Davey was sleeping in a chair with his mouth open, snoring. Which made wonder if the stubborn fool had been woken up yet to take his dication this afternoon. He should be in the dical section they’ve set up with the other elderly, not scaring the kids we let in here.
"Ellie."
My eyes found Joseph’s quickly when his voice spoke out. He was seated at the table he’d made into a desk. Always positioned where he could see both entrances.
Currently reading sothing on one of the tablets that Claire’s people had distributed to [community leaders]. More proof that this was turning into an aristocratic leaning ritocracy run by a white haired empress and her twin-tailed princess consort.
Actually, now I’m curious. Did she have two fox tails in her other world? Was it high fantasy or just-
"Talk to ."
"I just ran into her. Sort of."
He was quiet for a few monts. I used to find that reassuring. An elder taking ti to consider their words before speaking. But lately, silence just makes want to fill it with anything else.
"How did she look? Has your connection changed?"
"Well, her eyes are so kind of crazy new color, but that’s not unknown. She’s also big as a wolf, but you knew that. As for what I’ve been seeing... yeah. Pretty sure it got stronger when I was near."
I closed my eyes and pictured it again. I didn’t just stumble on her, her son, and the Sandhowl girl. I could practically see them across the entire basent.
"Bodies glowing Blue, but much brighter. And the Red one we’re still tracking... I could see him through walls. Like she’s so kind of amplifier for whatever is going on."
Not painful. Not even unpleasant, exactly. Just there when I look in directions now. So kind of ’tracking’ of the people in her pack... or actually, the people in all kinds of Chosen packs.
Or that’s the best we could figure is happening to . Which I fully tested by visiting the floor with all of the people that she supposedly ’made hers’ like . All of them except the guards there with that sa... System Aura.
I can’t believe I thought she was the delusional one. Unless maybe she is and it’s just infectious? Yeah. That sounds like it makes a lot more sense than gaining so kind of superpower that *none* of the other mbers have.
I opened my eyes and found him watching . With that expression none of us could ever read. Which always scared just a bit, because he usually let us know exactly what he was thinking on his face.
Our Alpha was a kind man - except when he was genuinely worried about sothing. He picked up his tablet again, but he wasn’t looking at it.
"I need to talk to her. Soon. Before whatever this is becos sothing that other people start noticing."
"Agreed. We can’t keep miraculously discovering Chad Duskpaw’s planted rogues and reporting their odd behavior to the Ricoat without suspicion. Luca was willing to believe it was all just because we were interacting with outsiders, but Kyrie will not."
He began to step around the table and closer to . Close enough that his whisper might not be picked up by mbers with sharp ears. Like Old Davey.
"But be careful, Ellie. She is not what you thought she was, even if that might be a good thing. And what I told you about our hidden history-"
"Yeah. I know."
I turned back toward the door quickly, because if I stood still here any longer I was going to start thinking about all five of the connections I couldn’t fix at once.
After all, I’m pretty sure he knows by now where my loyalty lays at. Even if the Stonewater is my blood... even if Joseph himself is fine with my answer.
I beca a liability and a wieldable connection to him all at once the night of the conclave. But he’s not going to help as fast as I think Citra can.
Because that woman can move Kyrie Voss.
And *that* woman can lead to Mille, if she’s alive.
Sohow.
I know it.
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